Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chinese President Hu Jintao wrapped up his U.S. visit Friday with a trip to Chicago , the hometown of his counterpart , U.S. President Barack Obama .

He visited a Chinese-owned auto parts firm , a Chinese wind energy company and the Confucius Institute -- a Chinese language and cultural education center housed at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School .

Hu wrapped up his three-day visit to the U.S. capital Thursday , telling an audience of American business leaders that Beijing is seeking closer ties and greater trust with the United States on a range of issues .

He sought to assuage concerns about China 's rising economic and military power , declaring that his country `` will never seek hegemony or pursue an expansionist policy . ''

The Chinese leader was unapologetic , however , about Beijing 's position on the politically sensitive status of Tibet and Taiwan , calling it a matter of Chinese territorial integrity and a `` core interest . ''

We are building `` a socialist country under the rule of law , '' he asserted . He said relations between Washington and Beijing need to be governed by a belief in `` equality '' and `` mutual respect . ''

Hu made his remarks at a luncheon hosted by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations , the U.S.-China Business Council and other organizations .

Earlier Thursday , Hu traveled to Capitol Hill , where congressional leaders used the occasion to raise strong concerns about Beijing 's commitment to human rights and economic issues such as the protection of intellectual property . He met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nevada , and House Speaker John Boehner , R-Ohio , among others . Neither man attended Wednesday night 's White House state dinner in honor of the Chinese leader .

Earlier in the week , Reid called Hu a `` dictator , '' a word that was later recanted by both the senator and his spokesman .

Boehner said that concerns about tensions on the Korean peninsula also were raised during Thursday 's talks .

We had `` a good meeting , '' Boehner said . `` I would hope that the dialogue on all of these subjects would continue . ''

Disagreements over human rights -- including China 's treatment of imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo -- were `` raised very strongly , '' according to Rep. Howard Berman of California , the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee .

`` I would not indicate there was great engagement ... other than a general recognition by the president of China that they have a ways to go , '' Berman told reporters .

On Wednesday , Hu met with Obama behind closed doors at the White House as top officials from both countries worked to address issues tied to the global economic crisis , international security , the environment and human rights .

Obama administration officials used the president 's meeting with Hu to highlight economic progress between the two countries , announcing Beijing 's approval of $ 45 billion in new contracts for U.S. companies to export goods to China . The contracts will support an estimated 235,000 American jobs , according to the White House .

The two leaders acknowledged continuing differences on human rights but pledged to keep working on the matter in a `` frank and candid way , '' according to Obama .

Human rights remains a touchy subject in China , as censors in the Asian nation made clear during Hu 's visit by blacking out CNN 's news broadcast each time the topic of human rights was mentioned . Even when Hu spoke about human rights , it was blacked out .

Footage of anti-China protesters near the White House was similarly blacked out .

Obama has nevertheless hailed Hu 's visit as a chance to lay a foundation for the next 30 years of Sino-American relations .

Hu declared the relationship between the two powers to be one of `` strategic significance and global influence . ''

During a news conference with reporters Wednesday , Obama said he had received a promise from Hu to establish a more `` level playing field '' for U.S. trade .

China 's currency , Obama said , remains undervalued -- a key factor in America 's trade imbalance with Beijing .

Hu conceded that key differences remain over economic policy , but he promised that Beijing would continue making attempts to resolve those differences .

CNN 's Alan Silverleib , Ben Rooney , Tom Cohen and Aaron Smith contributed to this report .

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Chinese leader ends visit with a stop at a Chinese language and cultural center in Chicago

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Hu Jintao told business leaders China is not pursuing an expansionist policy

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Congressional leaders discussed human rights and economic issues with Hu

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The session followed Hu 's meeting Wednesday with President Obama